The newest Wi-Fi 6 router from Asus, the RT-AX86U, is intended for consumers at home and gamers who need high-speed networking alternatives. This router gives you everything you need to optimize your home network for a lag-free gaming experience, including a 2.5 gigabit per second (Gbps) WAN/LAN connection, a dedicated gaming LAN port, and the capacity to provide 2 Gbps LAN rates via link aggregation. Although its price prevents it from being regarded as a wireless router for those on a tight budget, it performed admirably in our close range test. The TP-Link Archer AX11000, which costs more but is the current Editors’ Choice winner in the Wi-Fi 6 router and gaming router categories, is a better all-around performer and offers more ports and more powerful gaming controls. also you can check our article on Asus RT-AX86U review.
Design
The Asus RT-AX86U employs a vertical design and has three external antennae, which is different from typical gaming routers. This has the benefit of making the router more shelf-friendly due to its lower footprint and increased compactness. It’s interesting to note that a fourth antenna is likewise concealed within. Additionally, there is no RGB in this router, despite the fact that some people may find that to be advantageous. Lest you mistake the router for simply being a piece of networking equipment for businesses, it is made of matte-black plastic with a few tasteful red accents to indicate its gaming aspirations. The wireless frequencies, power, and internet connection are all indicated by small LEDs that run the length of the front. The necessary connections are located on the back of the router, which is not surprising for a tiny piece of networking equipment. In addition to the four 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports (of which port #1 is also referred to as the Gaming Port), there are a power rocker switch, two USB 3.0 connections, a WAN port, four 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports, and a 2.5 G Ethernet port. Additionally, there is a recessed reset switch. It is smaller than most gaming routers, measuring 242 x 100 x 325mm (9.5 x 3.9 x 12.8 inches) WxDxH and weighing 814.5g (1.8 pounds) with the antennas attached. The size and the two USB ports are its main selling points, especially considering its MSRP of $249.
Asus RT-AX86U review: Setup
You may install the RT-AX86U router using either the Asus Router phone and tablet apps or the Web browser interface. Software is available for Android phones and tablets as well as iPhones and iPads. It took us exactly 8 minutes and 30 seconds to configure and start the RT-AX86U using an iPad Pro and the iOS app. Connecting our iPad to the router’s Wi-Fi network and plugging everything in were the first steps in the procedure. The software then took some time to locate the router and identify the Internet connection after we had selected which type of Asus equipment we owned. We could have distinguished between the 2.4- and 5GHz LANs when inputting the name and password for our new network. We decided to keep them under a single name and opened an Asus account after that. The router installed these settings and displayed a printable summary page for us in a minute. The RT-AX86U then updated its firmware to the most recent version. It worked the first time.
Features
A dual-band AX5700-class router, the RT-AX86U. It supports Wi-Fi 6 and has a maximum 2.4GHz network speed of 861Mbps and a maximum 5GHz network speed of 4,840Mbps. 4Gbps over the air sounds really exciting, but most client devices aren’t yet able to fully benefit from these speeds. Many recent notebooks use Intel AX201 wireless cards, which “only” support rates of up to 2,400Mbps. also you will learn our article on Asus RT-AX86U review. Support for DFS is one feature of this router worth noticing (dynamic frequency selection). It enables the RT-AX86U to access wireless channels that are generally only available for usage by government services when activated in the router’s management system. Users can use these channels to experience improved Wi-Fi performance because they are less crowded. AiMesh, which enables the RT-AX86U to create mesh networks with other compatible ASUS routers, is another important feature. This is useful because it enables you to build a mesh network without having to purchase a new mesh networking system, especially if the router you are replacing also supports AiMesh. The administration interface for routers is standard ASUS. With so many tabs and options, the interface initially seems overwhelming, but once you start using it, you’ll find that it’s really quite simple. There are the typical tabs for wireless settings, such as those for LAN settings, firewall, real-time traffic analysis, QoS, setting up guest networks, parental controls, and more.
Internal Hardware
The two screws under the huge label that runs across the back of the Asus RT-AX86U must be removed in order to access the router’s inside, however one of the screws requires you to pull through a little warranty seal. Since the stand is constructed of two components that connect to one another and there are additional screws that must be removed from the bottom area, this is likely the strangest case that we have had to open thus far. When we examined the PCB, the fourth antenna—a RFPCA3026-01 Rev01 from Walsin—caught our eye. This indicates that, like the RT-AC86U, it has an internal antenna. We located 256MB of Macronix flash storage on the board (MXIC MX30LF2G189C-TI), and after removing three screws, we turned the PCB over to reveal a sizable heatsink on the opposite side. In order to see the main circuits, we had to remove the heatsink. It has a few screws on top, but make sure to also remove the screw from the other side of the PCB. Here, we saw a NS777202 K2017 10/100/1000Base-T Quad Port Transformer Module and a SWAP B2007 NET NS892402 10/100/1000Base-T Single Port Transformer Module.
Asus RT-AX86U review: Security
The RT-AX86U supports WPA3-personal, the most recent wireless security standard, which calls for a Wi-Fi 6 adapter on the client side. Additionally, it is backwards compatible with earlier protocols, including the more widely used (but less secure) WPA-2. AiProtection is the name given to Trend Micro’s network security, which is also included. The router has a wide range of network security capabilities, including a Router Security Assessment, Malicious Site Blocking, Two Way IPS for DDoS assault defence, and Infected Device Prevention and Blocking. Be advised that AiProtection must be manually switched on because it is off by default. We value the fact that the network security subscription is free and included for the entire life of the router.
Asus RT-AX86U review: Performance
But it’s not just about playing games. Other helpful features of the Asus app include a straightforward setup process that gives you the choice of combining the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bands into a single network or dividing the two bands into separate networks with unique passwords. Instead of using the more straightforward Asus app for iOS or Android, more experienced users also have the option of fine-tuning their network configuration using a web browser interface on a Mac or PC. Trend Micro offers malware protection, and a good array of parental controls, including content filters for objectionable material and a scheduling feature to limit Internet access to certain hours, are also available. These parental controls and security features are superior to those provided by some of Asus’ router competitors, and we appreciate the fact that Asus does not attempt to impose additional subscription fees for them. When it comes to performance, the Asus RT-AX86U is also up to par. In fact, it was able to squeeze a little bit more speed out of our 50 Mbps Internet connection to reach 59.3 Mbps for devices in the same room as our primary broadband router. In spite of the fact that the RT-AX86U’s Wi-Fi signal is extremely weak in our office at the back of the building, it performed flawlessly there, maintaining a healthy 58.9Mbps. The Asus RT-AX86U is a good all-around Wi-Fi upgrade as a result, offering good range and coverage in addition to fast speeds for online gaming, streaming video, and other demanding tasks.
Pricing
Although the Asus RT-AX86U retails for $249.99, we quickly found it on sale for a bit less. However, even at a reduced price, this piece of equipment is more in line with the low end of the midrange router market and is out of reach for a router’s budget. The RT-AX86U is one of the more reasonably priced gaming routers on the market, though Asus’ own RT-AX82U typically costs $20 less and offers comparable features, with the exception of one USB port and the presence of RGB lighting. you can read our article on Asus RT-AX86U review.
Conclusion
To get rid of network congestion, online gamers should use the Asus RT-AX86U. It has a number of features meant to enhance your network, including multi-gig LAN ports, link aggregation, an optimised LAN port, and a few game acceleration utilities. It delivers quick, close-range throughput using the most recent Wi-Fi 6 technology. Strong parental controls and lifelong malware protection are also included. The TP-Link AX11000, our Editors’ Choice, is your best option if you need a Wi-Fi 6 router that provides faster overall performance and has twice as many LAN connectivity ports, but be prepared to pay roughly for the opportunity.
